The present invention relates to a hot water carpet extraction cleaner and more specifically to an improved cleaning solution applicator for applying liquid cleaning solution to the carpet being cleaned.
Heretofore many carpet extractors have typically employed "spray jets" to apply cleaning solution to the carpet surface. Typical examples of such techniques are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,891 issued to Richard F. Wulff on Sep. 18, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,323 issued to Robert C. Berfield on Jan. 15, 1991; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,806 issued to Bernard Gustein on Mar. 26, 1991. Spray jets, of the type identified above, tend to place relatively large droplets of liquid upon the carpet as opposed to a more desirable atomized mist.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,740 issued to L. Scot Duncan et. al. on Dec. 15, 1987 titled "Venturi Spray Nozzle For A Cleaning Device," teaches a spray nozzle wherein streams of cleaning solution are injected into an air stream as the air flows through a venturi type passage way. Although some atomization of the cleaning solution may occur with this device, the nozzle is complex and comprises many individual parts, that are labor intensive to assemble and which are critical with respect to the spacial relationship of one part to another.